Czaba-Hnizdo C, Olischar M, Rona Z, Weninger M, Berger A, Klebermass-Schrehof K. Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography shows that doxapram influences the brain activity of preterm infants. Acta Paediatrica. 2014. As I started my research career studying doxapram I have stayed interested, even though it is no longer available in Canada. The results of this study are quite are concerning, an increase in continuous background activity, and a major increase in seizure like episodes was seen on aEEG monitoring of preterm babies receiving doxapram. Both compared to the same babies when not receiving doxapram, and compared to similar control babies. At first I wondered if they had used a high dose, as we used to think that low doses affect the peripheral chemoreceptor and higher doses had a direct CNS stimulant effect, but the dose they used, of 0.5 to 1 mg/kg/h was what we devised from pharmacokinetic studies years ago. So it doesn’t seem too high. The electrical seizure like activity disappeared after the doxapram was stopped. You can’t be 100% definite about seizures from an aEEG it is possible, I guess, that doxapram induces EEG changes that look like seizures on the EEG but are really some other phenomenon, but maybe its a good thing that I can’t prescribe it any more!